Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir

“Decades ago the Sugarcubes proved to the rest of the world that Icelandic rock was its own original creation – now Nordic Affect promises to do the same for the country’s new-music community.” – The Chicago Reader

“…perhaps the Ginnungagap out of which all music springs” – Fréttablaðið on H e (a) r

Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir is one of Iceland’s leading figures within the contemporary music scene. She has been the artistic director of Nordic Affect since its inception in 2005. Believing that the exciting things happen ‘in the connection’ Halla Steinunn’s work with the ensemble has been a tour de force when it comes to collaborative relationships with composers, visual artists, and producers.

In her activity as curator and composer Halla Steinunn has tapped into her extensive experience as radio producer and her output has spanned everything from quadrophonic and surround soundscapes to installation rooms and field recordings. Halla Steinunn’s playing is featured on albums on the Sono Luminus, Brilliant Classics, Bad Taste Records, Musmap and Deutsche Grammophon labels. She now holds a PhD position in artistic research at Lund University, in a time where the divide between creator and performer is being questioned in theoretical writings and in practice. Among upcoming projects is the release of ‘H e (a) r’ album on the Sono Luminus label (US).